The aquarum trade is not without potential adverse consequenses. The following are but 2 recent Undercurrent reviews.
From 6/09:
"Poor Hawaii. Having read a reader report bemoaning the loss of fish in
Hawaii's reefs, I thought I was prepared. But I wasn't. Reefs are the
ocean's nursery and Hawaiian's have murdered their young. I'm told that
there are no limits on the taking of reef fish, most of which go to the
commercial aquarium trade. Whatever the reason, Hawaiians' need to wake-up
to what they are doing. While the Manta night dive was absolute magic, it
is a manufactured event. The true joy of diving is experiencing the
natural underwater world. I've now experienced Hawaii's and it ain't
pretty."
From 8/08:
"I really hate to write this review. I have dived with Dive Makai for over
twenty years. Over that period of time the dive operation has been
wonderful and still is. The people running the boat work in the same manner
as the past even though I really miss diving with Lisa.The problem is with
the fish life on the reefs. In 8 dives we saw very little and since the
coral in Hawaii is minimal there was little to see. The dive guide tried
hard but was unsuccessful.Even our three dive adventure was pretty much a
bust. What a difference from the past when fish of all types were common.
The only exception was the Manta Ray night dive. This was superb many
Mantas and up close for the whole dive it blew my 14 year old sons mind."
I'd like to hope we can find a way to preserve the Hawaiin reef environment for all to enjoy now and into the future.
Good diving, Craig
Please see article from July Undercurrent. Could we please do something to save Hawaii's reef fish?
Where Have Hawaiis Fish Gone?
check home aquariums back on the mainland
While Undercurrent readers report plenty of good snorkeling
and diving experiences in Hawaii, its with increased frequency
that theyre asking Where have all the fish gone? The dramatic
decline in reef fish has several causes, but none weighs
so heavily as the losses due to commercial collectors gathering
reef fish for the home tanks of hobby aquarists. Although some
marine aquarium fish and invertebrates are aquacultured by
the industry and hobbyists, 90 percent of marine ornamentals
are caught in the wild.
Recent studies show population declines from 38 percent
to 75 percent in seven of the top 10 collected species, Hawaiis
most beautiful, unusual and often rarest fish. Given that the
marine ornamental trade operators have no limit on the number
of fish or species they may collect - - and there are no limits
on the numbers of permits issued - - its no wonder reef fish
populations are in serious decline.
Forty-five percent of the top 20 collected species are only
found in Hawaii. But for these endemic species, there is
no replacement pool. If they are overcollected to the point
where they cannot rebound, these unique species could be
lost to Hawaii - - and divers and snorkelers - - forever. And
because four-fifths of all collected species are herbivores,
the loss of those animals affects the algae/coral balance on
Hawaiis reefs.
On the Big Island, where the heaviest fish collecting occurs,
a management plan established in 2000 set aside 30 percent
of the shoreline as no-take zones. Four of the top 10 collected
species are now more abundant within these zones, but the
remaining six species (e.g., the multiband butterflyfish and
the Hawaiian cleaner wrasse) continue to decline. Along the
remaining 70 percent of the Kona coastline where collecting
occurs, targeted species are dramatically less abundant. For
instance, yellow tang populations average approximately 40
percent of what they were five years ago in the no-take areas,
and have sometimes measured less than 25 percent. Clearly,
collecting continues to have significant impact on Konas reefs.
Seventy percent of Konas coastline and 98 percent of those on
the other islands are being sacrificed to that industry.
Reef animals die soon after they are captured. In 2007,
Hawaiis collectors reported that of the 700,000-plus animals
collected, 20,340 animals died before being sold (the true numbers
are estimated to be several times higher). This equates
to every fish on a Hawaiian reef the size of five football fields
being scooped up and tossed in a dumpster. Mortalities continue
throughout their journey from wholesalers to the retailers
and finally the hobbyists. Many surviving fish are starved,
bagged and drugged for shipping. They will die shortly after
arriving on the mainland because they are unsuitable for home
aquariums; they are either impossible to keep outside their
native reef habitat or require expert care that few hobbyists
can provide. In fact, 99 percent of all species die within a year
in captivity.
Of Hawaiis 20 most collected species, 10 of them are listed
by aquarium experts as unsuitable for captivity. The most
egregious examples of fish sacrificed for brief entertainment in
a tank are the Moorish Idol and the Hawaiian cleaner wrasse;
both are known to starve within weeks because their preferred
foods are not available in captivity.
Recent research in Hawaii shows that yellow tangs are
long-lived, surviving on reefs for decades; the oldest found so
far is 41. Hundreds of thousands of them are collected on Big
Island reefs every year, and though suppliers consider them
easy to care for and good for beginners, only a few thousand
of them will live beyond a year. The aquarium trade claims
the losses are worth it: hobbyists cite their tanks educational
value and industry professionals cite the need for livestock to
support their lucrative dry goods sales of tanks, filters and
lights. Common sense says reef animals are fueling a disposable
hobby: When the fish die, they are thrown out and replaced,
like cut flowers.
This is not just a problem exclusive to Hawaii, excessive
catching of wild fish for aquariums happens all over the globe.
The majority of the marine aquarium livestock originates from
Indonesia, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, the Maldives, and central
Pacific Islands (e.g., Hawaii). Others are also imported from
the Caribbean and Red Sea regions.
Most of the live rock in aquariums, meaning corals and
invertebrates, are also collected from the wild and its use has
increased drastically, due to the rise in popularity of reef tanks.
Collecting or mining of many types of coral often means the
use of a hammer and chisel to remove pieces from the reef,
generating heaps of dead coral rubble and habitat damage. Fiji
and Indonesia are currently the worlds largest suppliers of live
rock and coral and the U.S., again, is the major importer.
If you believe reef animals are best left on their home reefs,
then take action:
* Ask your local pet stores to stop selling wild-caught marine
fish and animals.
* Ask your local restaurants and businesses with marine aquariums
to stop keeping and displaying the animals.
* Boycott those businesses that ignore your requests.
* Sign the petition sponsored by the Hawaii Reef Fish Recovery
Project at
www.thepetitionsite.com/1/reef-fish-arent-ornaments
* Contact the organizations Coral Reef Alliance and Reef
Check and ask them to take action to end fish collection off
Hawaii shores. (CORAL has no position on fish collection,
preferring to have all interested parties, including collectors, get
together to work out a compromise.)
* Spread the word to your fellow divers.
P.S.: In early May, Hawaiis Department of Land and
Natural Resources board approved a ban on the taking and
feeding of parrotfish, surgeonfish, chubs and sea urchins along
a one-mile section of the Maui coast in North Kaanapali, from
Kekaa Point to Honokowai Beach Park. The goal is to protect
these species because invasive seaweeds they usually eat are fast
overtaking much of the coral along that shoreline. The ban, if
approved by Governor Linda Lingle, would mark the first time
Hawaii has adopted protections for specific species as a broader
strategy for restoring the health of a reef. Both scientists and
fishers support the plan. However, many species, including butterflyfish,
angelfish, Moorish Idols, eels and hermit crabs, can
still be taken in unlimited numbers from those reefs.
Author Rene Umberger has been a scuba instructor and guide on Maui
since 1983. When not underwater she works with the tourism industry
creating educational materials, developing environmental standards for
marine tourism and organizing underwater cleanup events. She is currently
the administrator for the Maui Nui Marine Resource Council.
Good diving, now, and hopefully in the future, Craig
